Wire-stretcher.



R! TEN BROBCK. WIRE STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY4, 1909.

949,968, Patented Feb.22. 1910.

ANDREW 3. 6114mm (:0. PMOIO-UTMOGRAPHERS. wAsnmqmN. D. a

RICHARD TEN BROECK, OF ST. MATTHEWS, KENTUCKY.

VJIRE-STR-ETCI-IER.

Application filed May 4, 1989.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 493,829.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD TEN BROECK, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Matthews, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ire- Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wire stretchers and refers particularly to a device which is peculiarly adapted to stretch wire fencing and the like where it is desired to take up the slack of wire intermediately f the posts and to maintain the wire in a straight line.

The invention has for an object the provision of a simple device which may be applied to a fence post and engage with the wires of a fence in a manner to draw the wires taut by means of a novel feeding mechanism which is provided upon the device so that the wires may be secured to the posts in a taut condition before the release of the same from the device.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a device which has means for retaining the wire in a taut condition until a new grip of the operative mechanism of the device is taken upon the wire in order to draw the same into a new position and to stretch the wire to greater tension.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the stretcher as applied to a wire fence. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the stretcher detached, and Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing the numeral. designates an arcuate frame which is provided at its extremities with spurs 11 for engagement against the side of a fence post or the like to maintain the frame 10 in rigid position, the frame 10 being reinforced by the provision of a brace-rod 12 which is engaged across the ends of the same adjacent the spurs 11. The bar 12 is provided at its main edge with an eye 13 or other suitable fastening means with which a chain 14: is engaged in order to secure the bar 12 rigidly against the post and to thereby prevent any lateral. movement of the same. The lower extremity of the frame 10 is provided with a link 15 which is pivoted preferably to the point of intersection of the bar 12 with the frame 10 and which carries at its free extremity the lower end of a hand lever 16 which is extended upwardly across the frame 10 and secured in adjusted position thereto by means of a dog 17 which engages in a rack 18 formed upon the upper edge of the frame 10. The dog 17 is actuated through the medium of a rod 19 by a handle 20 which is pivotally disposed upon the upper end of the hand-lever 16 adjacent the hand portion of the lever 16 for the purpose of releasing the dog 17 to admit of the adjustment of the hand-lever 16. Intermediately pivoted upon the lever 16 is a rod 21 which extends outwardly of the frame 10 and is engaged through a loop positioned intermediately upon the bar 12 the rod 21 being provided with links 22 which are pivotally secured to the outer ends of clamping jaws 28 which are pivotally retained at their inner ends upon a cross-arm 24. The frame 10 is provided at its intermediate portion in direct alinement with the rod 21 and clamping jaws 23 with a fixed jaw 25 which cooperates with a swinging aw 26 to bind wire which is passed between the teeth formed upon the same in order to retain the wire in a taut position as the wire is fed through the same under the action of the clamping jaws 23.

In operation the frame 10 is positioned against the side of a fence post, the spurs 11 being engaged in the same to hold the frame 10 from displacement. The chain 14: is now wound about the post and engaged upon the eye 13 whereby the bar 12 is further and securely retained against the post. The fence wire is now engaged between the clamping members 23 when the lever 16 is drawn backwardly to draw the rod 21 inwardly and to thereby cause the binding of the jaws 23 against the wire under the action of the links 22. This action causes the wire to be drawn toward the frame 10 and the same is fed between the fixed jaw 25 and the pivoted jaw 26 where the same is firmly secured in position by the binding of such jaws upon the releasing of the clamping jaws 28 by throwing the lever 16 forwardly into a normal position. It is thus observed that from this construction a new grip may be had upon the wire, the wire Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

-arcuate frame, spurs positioned upon the being secured from dropping back into its slack position by means of the jaws 25 and 26 when the lever 16 is again operated and the j aws 23 are caused to draw the wire into a further taut position until the desired tension is acquired. The dog 17 rides freely over the rack 18 during the backward movement of the lever 16 and is freed from engagement with the rack 18 by the contraction of the handle 20 with the hand-piece upon the lever 16. The rod 21 is drawn backwardly in a straight line by the provision of the link 15 which admits of the raising of the lower end of the hand-lever 16 when the same is drawn backwardly to maintain the rod 21 and clamping jaws 23 in alinement with the jaws 25 and 26 upon the frame 10 to thereby insure the tightening of the wire without bending the same.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. A device as specified comprising an ends of said frame, a brace-bar engaged: across the ends of said frame, a fixed jaw l mounted on said frame at an intermediate point thereof, a pivoted jaw carried by said frame for cooperating with said fixed jaw,

the purpose of operating the same.

2. A wire stretcher including an arcuate frame for engagement against a post, a cross bar positioned at the outer ends of said frame, a hand lever fulcrumed at one end of said frame, and extended across the same, means carried by said frame for securing the extremity of a wire thereto, a bar pivotally mounted intermediately of said handle, means carried by said bar for adjustable engagement with a wire, and means carried by said frame for locking said hand lever in various positions to retain the wires.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD TEN moron. [1-1. s]

Witnesses JAMES L. ORR, J. M. DORRIS. 

